Beverage cans for beer, soda and other beverages are ubiquitous in nature and, when the beverage is cold, it is desired to be able to grasp the beverage can for drinking purposes without warming up the contents of the can as by grasping with the human hand. Sometimes, depending upon the temperature of the can, to hold the can in the hand of the drinker is uncomfortable because of the extreme cold of the beverage contained within the can.
There have been a variety of can holders suggested in the prior art for insulating the can from the hand of the drinker and further providing a means whereby the beverage can can be made into a mug-type drinking container to allow the drinker to grasp a handle and hold it as one would hold a mug.
Providing a novelty, reusable handle for converting beverage cans into mugs and having a variety of figures associated therewith, with the figure actually forming a graspable handle, which is easily attached and detached for beverage cans while still insulating the contents thereof from the hand of the user, has been a desiratum of novelty device manufacturers for some time.
However, when forming a handle with a figure and sometimes without a figure, attachable and detachable handle means have suffered in that when only attached to the full beverage can, the same provides a stable device. However, once the contents of the can are drunk down or totally eliminated, the attached handle on the can becomes very unstable because of the counter-balancing fluid, within the beverage can, being absent.
The herein disclosed invention allows for a novelty can holder which is easily attached to and detached from the beverage can and which provides a stable combination regardless of the fluid content in the can.
As exemplary of some of the prior art devices, the following patents are exemplary of the prior art handles for attachment to beverage cans and the like, and of their drawbacks which the beverage can of the instant application and invention overcomes.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,280,675
This patent is directed to a can utensil which has a handle portion c and having a lower portion adapted to engage the underside of a can and having an upper yoke with a hinged member for impaling attachment to the upper lid of the can by reason of spurs e and f.
U.S. Pat. No.2,639,502
This patent is directed to a handle 24 having a combined can opener which is utilized for opening the beverage can and wherein the handle is engaged upon the upper and lower rims of the beverage can in detachable relationship thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,936
This patent is directed to a beer can handle having an upper portion attachment to the outside rim of the can with a curved handle portion 15 and an extending bottom portion 17 that extends to the opposed rim portion for attachment relative to the upper portion of the can handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,310
This patent pertains to a combined can puncturing and holding device which has an inverted can opening portion which also is part of a stabilizing mechanism to abut the side of the can and wherein a handle portion 18 is secured by means of a prong member 27 to the upper lid of the can.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,827
This patent pertains to a combined can holder and opener wherein the handle member is configured for disposition and attachment in releasable fashion to the upper and lower rims of a can with which it is associated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,732
This patent is directed to a removable can holder wherein the upper part of the handle has a forked configuration for attachment to the rim of the can and wherein the bottom portion of the handle is of U-shaped configuration to engage the lower rim or edge of the can.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 233,118
This design patent is directed to a detachable handle for a beverage can or the like wherein an upper rim engaging portion and a lower engaging member are connected via an intermediate can holding portion.